Ignorance of Consequence
by Maddy02
Summary: Naga wasn't the only one to trade in silk for leather. Over breakfast the serpent unknowingly makes her rivals life that much harder...


The world was warm and fuzzy, and somewhat grey around the edges until Naga felt a familiar sensation take hold of her and forcefully rip away the warmth and fuzziness, leaving sharp clarity and the hardwood floor she had apparently collapsed on.

Dicleary was a misleading name for the spell. Party-pooper-Royal would have been better… maybe.

Icy eyes locked on to the perpetrator and softened slightly; a priestess, clearly thinking she had been doing her a favour. Rather than blow her away it was probably a better idea to let the lady buy her breakfast, or lunch, or whatever meal was appropriate for whatever time of day it was. Naga's stomach clock wasn't as accurate as Lina's, not after a night of drinking anyway.

"Are you alright?" an unnecessary question, considering the priestess had just ensured there wasn't anything alien in her system at all.

"Ah, I'm fine" Naga sat up and running a hand through her hair looked around. It seemed that last night had been quite a party, considering the state of the tavern; although it was odd that there didn't seem to be anyone else in her position. "What happened to everyone else?"

"As I entered town, some people rushed from this direction yelling something about a wailing serpent? I think they must have been drinking, or something spooked them."

"OH HO, HO, HO, HO, HO weaklings! No match for Naga the serpent! Imagine, unable to hold your liquor like that!"

"Of course I could be wrong" The priestess whispered to herself, only to be caught by Naga

"What was that?"

"N-nothing!"

"I see… so, what's a priestess like you doing here?" _just keep her talking Naga, eventually she'll suggest food_

"I was looking for someone… but I guess no one here would remember if they had." She added remorsefully, and Naga gained a knowing look

"Oh, boyfriend then?" The priestess blushed and shook her head, which only confirmed her suspicions. Naga eyed her companion up and down before nodding sagely and delivering her verdict "Don't worry, he'll be back looking for you. If he has any sense" _butter her up, that's it_

"H-he, doesn't think about me that way."

"Then he's either blind or extraordinarily chaste, although I'm leaning towards blind." She replied sliding off the floor and onto a bench by a table, the priestess taking the other side; blushing again.

"I really don't think… well, I… never mind, would you like breakfast?"

_Bingo! _"Sure" she shrugged, nonchalant. And raised her eyebrows when the priestess started reading the choices to her "I _can_ read the menu myself you know"

"Oh, of course, sorry."

The dicleary had done something to her; she wasn't really that hungry and only ordered double portions of the morning combo platter deluxe supreme, which was the town's speciality and the real reason she was there; she figured Lina would turn up to try it eventually (and then she'd finally show that runt just who was superior). As such, breakfast was a subdued affair and over quickly with little conversation. There was no reason to leave just yet though; there was a rather pretty ruby just peaking out of the folds of her benefactors robes, just a little distraction would do…

Unwittingly, said benefactor provided it.

"May I ask you a… well, a personal question?"

"You can _ask_"

"Why do you dress… like that?" it wasn't condemning, surprising from one of the order, more curious.

"Because I want to, isn't that enough?"

"Self image then?"

"Call it whatever you like, why should I conform to what anyone else thinks I should, I dress this way because it fits who I want to be."

"Does it work?"

Naga smiled, fingering her new ruby under the table "Every time."

"Do you think, if I tried… I mean…to make myself more confident, more who I want…"

Naga tilted her head, a finger close to her mouth, appraising the figure before her. She was aware she would have to absent herself soon, before the priestess noted her absent gem or asked to split payment on the bill.

"Sure, maybe shorter hair, a skirt I think with your legs… a good cape, massive shoulder guards, lots of black… yeah, I think a new image would suit you." She stood up and made a point of observing the blushing priestess from all angles, finally positioning herself close to the door.

"Maybe look into studying some magic other than white; show off to the blind fool who hasn't noticed you yet, get a little attitude huh?" she finished with a wink. "Thanks for breakfast, but I really gotta get going. Oh, by the way, what's the name?"

"Erisiel"

"Hmm, too long, try Eris. So long!"

Before Eris could say a word Naga was halfway out of town already. Instead she sighed, and prepared again to follow after Rezo… only this time she would do so with… attitude.


End file.
